The French Beauty Solution

http://www.thefrenchbeautysolution.com/

I realized something recently. I love all things French. Okay, maybe not all things since I do not like fries. But then again, is that really French?!
 

What I am really saying is that I love the health and beauty philosophy of the French. I recently read a book written by my all-time favorite brand's co-founder, Mathilde Thomas. She talks about how she started Caudalie and all about French beauty and skin care. A lot of the things she shared resonated with how I am currently taking care of my skin.

"Good skincare is far better than hiding behind a mask of makeup"
 

The most important philosophy that the French believes in is that as far as skincare and make-up is concerned, having tons of make-up will not compensate for bad skin. It just won't look right. Invest in a good skin care regimen and you won't even need a lot of make-up to begin with.
 

"Live by the pleasure principle"
 

The French love luxe and elegance. It has always been the hallmark of French style. Mathilde Thomas says that "[French Beauty] is about choosing only the best and understanding that you are entitled to have a beauty routine that makes you look and feel beautiful at the same time." Your skincare routine should be pleasurable. Images of a French woman slowly putting on her night cream with candles and background music comes to mind. Of course that may be a bit exaggerated but the point is that our regular skincare routine must feel good to us. We must love what we use and use only what we love. The French expect their creams and serums to be "deliciously scented, with a texture that feels wonderful on the skin, and with ingredients that are pure and natural as possible." Sounds like my cup of tea.
 

"Squeaky clean is for windows - not your face or hair"
 

Having been influenced by Tin in 2013, I have stopped washing my face with soap and water for over three years now. I have been using Caudalie's cleansing water morning and night to clean my face. The only time water touches my face is when I go for a swim. Other than that, it's purely Caudalie. (read about my shift here). 
 

The book confirms my shift to being soap-free since our face (and hair) need not be squeaky clean as we were taught when we were kids. When we reach the 'squeaky clean' level, it means we have already robbed our skin of the natural oil that it needs. Go for gentle cleansing instead. Your skin will love you for it 30 years from now.
 

"A glass of red wine at dinner is good for your skin (and your health)"
 

There are so many other tips in the book that I have found to be extremely informative. From having a healthy diet to coming up with your own homemade body scrub, every chapter is a note-taking activity.

 

I'm not sure if the book is available in our local bookstores.  I downloaded the eBook from Amazon on Kindle. You can do the same.

Kick off those heels, get that glass of red wine and journey through the world of French beauty.

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Caudalie Polyphenols C5

Once in a while, I like to daydream some nonsensical 'what ifs'.  For example, I imagine what I will buy if I am being forced to spend a million dollars on something that's not a necessity (like food, shelter, tuition).  I know it's not likely to happen - kaya nga daydream lang.  In one of those random thoughts, I asked myself what brands I would shortlist should I need to decide to use all of those million dollars on just a handful of stores. Well, Caudalie is definitely one of them.

 

I have loved Caudalie for the past eight years and counting. I've written about my love story with Caudalie here , here , and here. Most of the products I have mentioned in my previous post are still part of my daily routine. I switch the night and eye creams once in a while as new product lines are launched by Caudalie.

 

My current choice during this season of stress and pollution, is the Caudalie Polyphenol C5 collection.

 

Free radicals are the main causes of skin ageing. They are generated by light, pollution, smoke... They attack our cells and trigger premature ageing. The same free radicals make our cars go rusty and turn fruits brown. They are responsible for 4 out of 5 wrinkles. - Caudalie website

 

Caudalie discovered that the polyphenols found in grape seeds contain the most powerful plant-based anti-oxidant in the world. With that they have formulated a serum that will protect our skin from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum

 

I used the Anti Wrinkle Defense Serum every morning under my Shiseido sunblock.  It is oil-free and absorbs quite fast. The serum is very concentrated with anti-oxidants that are said to stop fine lines from forming into wrinkles. I imagine it as my skin's shield from the daily aggressors of the environment.

 

At night, I use the Overnight Detox Oil.  It claims to detoxify and renew your skin while you sleep. I don't know about you but that sounds really beneficial to me. I only use 6 drops of the oil, and gently spread it around my face and neck before bed. And that's it. I don't have any other regimen after that. 

 Overnight Detox Oil           

This dry oil helps to renew and protect your overtired skin while you sleep. Skin is detoxified and the complexion is revitalized. A cocktail of 5 essential oils and 3 vegetal oils, this 100% plant-based formula promotes cellular renewal and toxin elimination. On waking, skin is replenished and renewed.

I asked the Caudalie service center and was told not to use the Detox and the Serum over each other. Both of them are highly concentrated and must be used separately. This is why I decided to use the Detox Oil at night and the Serum during the day my skin's first line of defense.

 

I have been very happy with the Polyphenol C5 collection but am also tempted to try the newly launched Resveratrol Lift. We'll see. Maybe once my Detox Oil bottle is empty, I will test the new collection and see if it also works well for my skin. I am quite optimistic as I have not encountered a Caudalie collection I did not like.

 

Caudalie is not yet available locally in the Philippines but you may order online from Sephora.com.

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Caudalie Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations, Donna Ocon-Juezan! You are the winner of the Caudalie Foaming Facial Wash. Please check your inbox for my email so that we may coordinate on the delivery of the prize.

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Caudalie Divine Oil and Hand & Nail Cream (Part 3 of 3) + Giveaway

For part 3 of my Caudalie saga, i'd like to share with you a video of founders Bertrand and Mathilde Thomas who talks about the different patented ingredients of Caudalie.

Side note: i love they way they look at each other in the video each time the other person talks. It has the look of love and respect. Maybe the French are really always in love, eh? Watch and see what i mean.

After giving my reviews of the cleansers, serums and moisturizers, i'd like to share with you the Caudalie body treatments that i have been using.

1. Divine Oil

I have a friend back in high school who was so diligent in putting body lotion everyday. I must admit her skin was exceptionally soft and i desired the same. The thing is, the feel of a heavy lotion is not so enticing in our tropical climate.  I don't like the heavy/sticky feeling of most lotions so i am not as excited to use them as regularly as i should.

Then i found Divine Oil.  I've tried a couple of dry oil moisturizers in the past and my long-time favorite was the Neutrogena Body Oil. I decided to swtich to Caudalie because i like that it has the healing properties of grape and argan oils. It also contains the patented anti-oxidant Polyphenols which is a great addition to its moisturizing properties.

I use it on damp skin after i take a bath. They are sold in a spray bottle so it's very easy to apply and re-apply without getting your hands oily. It's also good to use on hair (as you would some argan oil serums) after a bath.


Photo from Caudalie's website

 2. Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream

My current addiction is the Hand & Nail cream. Its main ingredients are Shea Butter and Grape Seed Oil. It absorbs really and it smels so nice. I have a tube in my bag and i like that i can use it anytime without the fear of getting my hands all sticky and oily.

This is the 3rd and (so far) last installment on my Caudalie series. Do join the ongoing giveaway and get a chance to win their bestselling Caudalie Foaming Facial Wash here.



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Caudalie Serums and Creams (Part 2 of 3) plus a Giveaway



Bertrand and Mathilde Thomas (founders of Caudalie)
Photo from Caudlie's website

 On the first part of my Caudalie story, i shared the different cleansers that i've used. Now, i'd like to share the wonderful serums and moisturizers that i've tried the past years.

1. Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

I've had freckles for as long as i can remember. Anything that claims to lighten them is a hit in my book.  The Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is an oil-free formula that corrects dark spots and brightens complexions. It contains the patented Viniferine ingredient and claims to be 62 x more effective than Vitamin C.

It absorbs really well onto the skin. I used it twice a day after cleaning my face. This serum should be used underneath your moisturzier.

I only used one bottle before i switched the Premier Cru line (read about it below) so I don't know if it will completely erase my dark spots with continued use. I did notice a brightening effect and it felt realy nice on the skin once i applied it.

2. Premier Cru The Cream

This is the most potent serum + moisturizer product of Caudalie. It's called Premier Cru because it is known the be the Cream of the Crop. It has all the active ingredients of the other Caudalie products [Resveratrol to lift and firm, Viniferine to correct dark spots and brighten, and anti-oxidant rich grape-seed Polyphenols].

It is a wonderful moisturizer and i use it daily before going to bed. I don't use any other serum anymore (which is why i stopped using the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum). For younger skin with isolated issues like dark spots or signs of wrinkles, you will save money by buying the separate serums and just use a regular moisturizer. The Premier Cru is quite expensive but i found it to be very effective on my skin.

Photo from Caudalie's website

3. Premier Cru the Eye Cream

Aside from the Premier Cru, i also use it's matching eye cream that claims the same benefits but is specifically formulated for the delicate eye area.

I am on my second bottle and have been really happy with the results. I noticed less crows feet and undereye wrinkles in less than 6 months.

Learn more about the formulation of the Premier Cru line by watching the video below.

My Caudalie contest is ongoing. Join now and get a chance to win a bottle of Caudalie's foaming cleanser worth P1,200.

2 simple steps:
(1) Like the Breakfast with Tiffany Facebook page (https://facebook.com/densandfan)
(2) Follow me on Twitter (@densfan)

Please log-in through the Rafflecopter widget below.
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My Caudalie Love Story (Part 1 of 3) and a Giveaway!

I first heard about Caudalie from a Parisian colleague whom i met in New York during a business trip back in 2008. She was sharing her love for Caudalie and everything natural/organic and i became curious. I started looking for Caudalie here in the Philippines to no avail. I was finally able to purchase a few of their products from Sephora in the US.  After my first encounter with the product, i became a believer.

Since then, i have tried more and more of their products and each one did not disappoint. Check out the video below for a message from the founder of Caudalie.

Now before i tell you about my mini contest, I'd like to share with you some of the Caudalie products on my shelf right now.

1. Caudalie Make-Up Remover & Cleansing Water

Since February of this year, i have began a radical change in my cleansing routine. I have stopped using tap water on my face. Yep, you read that right. I try to avoid getting my face wet when taking a bath and I don't wash my face anymore at night.

Instead, i have been using Micellar Water to remove make-up, clean and tone my face. Micellar Water is basically a solution consists of a dispersion of Micelles. What is Micelles, you might ask. Well, it can get very technical so please read about it here if you'd like to know more.  In beauty terms, i actually use the water as a make-up remover, cleanser, water and toner. I just soak the solution in a cotton pad and wipe my face with it as one would with a toner. It's very satisfying to see all the dirt come off until your cotton pads wipe clean.

Tap water hasn't touched my face for over seven months now except when i go swimming. It has been very effective and i didn't break out at all.

I have two sizes of the Cleansing water at home. One big bottle which i use at home and another one that i bring around to freshen up during the day. If you are still anxioius about going sans tap water, i suggest you use this as a toner after your regular cleanser. It makes your skin feel very clean and soft. None of those tight, squeaky clean feeling of a harsh facial wash.

2.  Caudalie Foaming Cleanser

This was the first ever Caudalie product that i fell in love with. This was, of course, before i discovered the Cleansing Water and stopped using tap all together. I love how gentle this cleanser feels on the skin. It pumps out foam and does not strip the skin of its natural oils.

My husband who is not particular about his cleansers even requested me to purchase this again. I was surprised and said 'i thought you don't really care about the brand of your facial wash'. And he said there's something about it that felt really different. He said his skin felt softer and he likes the subtle grapeseed scent (yes, bekki levelz lang ang comment).

It's very gentle yet effective in removing oil and make-up. I've used it for over 5 years and it has always been successful at removing the most stubborn waterproof make-up.

 

3. Beauty Elixir

The Beauty Elixir is one of Caudalie's bestselling products. Think Evian, only better. This product was inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary's elixir of youth. It claims to smooth away fine lines, tighten pores and give the skin a natural glow.

I've finished four bottles already and am on my fifth one. I spray it on my face after my cleansing routine and any time i need to refresh myself during the day. I love the scent of Grape, Orange blossom, Rose, Balm mint, and Rosemary.  It smells very relaxing - it's essentially a spa in a bottle. Seriously, try it.

Now for my promised giveaway. I will be giving away one 100ml bottle of the Caudalie Foaming Cleanser. I costs over P1,200 (coverted from USD) and is not available locally yet. The mechanics is very simple.

(1) Like the Breakfast with Tiffany Facebook page (https://facebook.com/densandfan)
(2) Follow me on Twitter (@densfan)

Please use the rafflecopter widget below.
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And that's it! :) The contest will run for a month and will end on November 2. I will announce the winner during the first week of November. Please note that this contest is open to Metro Manila residents only.

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